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“Exactly. Me neither.” He came to stand across from me as intimidating as he could be when he was unhappy. “But I’m guessing it might have to do with someone who couldn’t keep his hands off her.”
I gulped. “What do you mean?”
He nodded his chin at the mess that I’d made. “You should be glad she’s not going to sue your seedy little ass, if you know what I mean.”
Getting pointed out like that, I didn’t find any action more suitable than cup my junk and growl in his face before running off, taking the steps two at a time.
16
ARES
Hitting the bar might’ve been a better solution. Better than asking Dita for help, that was for sure.
I rubbed my hand over my face and checked my phone. Two a.m., and still I was antsy and unable to sleep.
Priscilla Paquet, freaky seductress by night and the boss of the snake sanctuary by day.
She’d called every employee into her office. Once again, she was dressed up for a hot club way above her standards. If I didn’t feel sorry for her, I’d tell her to move the fuck on, but she was lonely. She didn’t know how else to salvage a broken heart. So, after my uncle Mack, her husband and the previous boss of The Zoo, died, she took to healing her loneliness one night at a time, picking up her old slutty coping skills.
The five of us crammed inside Priscilla’s office. Paul, Dave, Calista—that last one always staring at me from afar—me, and the boss.
“Well, guys,” Priscilla stalled, sorting a stack of papers which I knew had already been sorted alphabetically. “I’m just going to dive in here. There’s good news and there’s bad.”
“Start with the bad,” Paul cut in, as ready as I was to tackle the problem. “Always start with the bad.”
Priscilla looked at us. Her brows dipped and her mouth curved into sadness. She sighed, a menacing sign to what came next.
“Our finances are shitty. Like… I wish four figures were a thing.” She leaned back and settled her hand on her chest. It was probably beating as hard as mine. “There. I got it off my chest. Wow, that’s…a relief.”
“How?” I bit the inside of my cheek, unable to wait to discuss this matter. “What’s going on, Priscilla? I thought we were doing well here.”
She swung forward, giving me a look that could burn me to ashes. “All is well in your world, Ares.”
“What does that even mean?”
Dave explained, “That you shouldn’t even be afraid to lose your job.”
“Ah. Because I’m a little rich prick, right?”
Whether I was or not living in a mansion the size of Dubai, I was far from asking my dad for any money. Out of sight was hardly out of mind. And if Cary thought for a second banging himself out of my life was water under the bridge, I would remind him soon enough I wasn’t ready to cross it yet. If I ever wanted to wander down a father-son path again, that is. I refused to let money force-meddle a decade of mutual contempt.
“Look, Volt,” Dave underlined his anger with a heavy pinch of vexation. “I wasn’t saying—”
“That tone alone already did, Dave,” I balked. “At least I am here of my free will and not because of a monthly paycheck.”
“Okay, okay, guys.” Paul held a hand in front of Dave, who looked hostile and ready to ‘take me outside’. “The malefactor in this entire depressive situation isn’t Ares nor is his father’s money.”
“Either way, the cash wouldn’t hurt.” Priscilla rapped a knuckle against the wooden desk.
Choking on my astonishment, I spat the sharp words on my tongue, “I guess you didn’t hire me because I’m a fucking sunshine?”
“Ares, down boy.” Paul tightened his hand on my shoulder, an authoritative sign to watch what I was saying, denying me the ability to rear up.
Paul had been like a father figure since he found out the fallout with my dad. I confided in him. Hell, if it weren’t for that lousy twin radar, he’d probably know more about me than my own brother. Paul had been a constant in my life, and admittedly, it was nice to hear advice from a guy twenty years my senior. Which was the only reason I didn’t lash out.
Calista kept quiet, naturally reserved, watching me in the corner. Only this time, she didn’t try to maintain eye contact. She was cute but I just didn’t have the patience nor interest in the shy type to ever have tried something with her. My style was a little more daring and… specialized in certain areas.
“Priscilla, these boys are getting restless,” Paul warned. “Feel free to vouch. What are we looking up to?”
